I wouldn't call Korea a bad deal though. It's got modern ammeneties, great access to overseas travel, and you can drink copious amounts of alcohol. To me it would be worth at least investigating the risk because even if you still pull a 365 to the desert you really didn't lose anything by going to Korea. 

Thanks for the replies.  Good advice about not volunteering for a bad deal.  If I stay on Active Duty, I would have to think that having a recent STRD as opposed to my current one from 2006 would lessen my chances of a 365 to the desert but that would definitely suck to do two 365s in a 5 year span.

My other option would be try to find a Guard or reserve unit that would hire me full time for my last 4.5 years.  Not sure how feasible that is with being a Lt Col when my ADSC expires.

Thanks again for the help!

People taking their wives over there is what ruined that place.

Thanks for the replies.  Good advice about not volunteering for a bad deal.  If I stay on Active Duty, I would have to think that having a recent STRD as opposed to my current one from 2006 would lessen my chances of a 365 to the desert but that would definitely suck to do two 365s in a 5 year span.
My other option would be try to find a Guard or reserve unit that would hire me full time for my last 4.5 years.  Not sure how feasible that is with being a Lt Col when my ADSC expires.
Thanks again for the help!

You know there are not many 365s left, right? They’ve been converted back to 6-monthers for the most part.

34 minutes ago, ThreeHoler said:

 

You know there are not many 365s left, right? They’ve been converted back to 6-monthers for the most part.

 

Yea I’ve seen the spreadsheet  on AEF online.  They’ve definitely decreased the amount of non-commander 365s but the ones that are still out there (including the safety positions which I qualify for) are enough to motivate me to either get a STRD from Korea, try to get hired by the airlines, or try to switch to the Guard/Reserve. 

1 hour ago, arg said:

People taking their wives over there is what ruined that place.

Well at least the curfew is gone now. You got that going. 

7 hours ago, go_cubbies22 said:

I would have to think that having a recent STRD as opposed to my current one from 2006 would lessen my chances of a 365 to the desert but that would definitely suck to do two 365s in a 5 year span.

You’re probably right, it would reduce the risk, but certainly not eliminate the risk. Also, to be fair, if you take your family for the majority of the year, then it won’t feel like a 365 remote at all. So even if you did get zapped by a desert 365 later, you still only really spent one year away from family vice two. 

Now if you weren’t taking family, I’d say 100% fuck this idea.

Edited July 13, 20196 yr by brabus

FYSA, you can do 2 years with CSP at Osan and still update your short tour return date and short tour count.

I didn’t believe it, but I just returned to the CONUS from a CSP tour at Osan, and vMPF updated my date.

Might wanna check that out...


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Would someone mind expanding on shout tours and short tour credit, i.e. what are they and what benefits are there to doing them?  

2 hours ago, YoungnDumb said:

Would someone mind expanding on shout tours and short tour credit, i.e. what are they and what benefits are there to doing them?  

If only there was a function whereby you could query the website...https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/search/?q="Short tour"&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=or

 

And THEN, a whole discussion solely based on the topic you desire to learn about. 

https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/topic/15974-short-tour-info/

2 hours ago, YoungnDumb said:

Would someone mind expanding on shout tours and short tour credit, i.e. what are they and what benefits are there to doing them?  

From the 30,000’ view, tour lengths, “reflect the general desirability of each location and force protection and anti-terrorism considerations,” “full range of facilities both on and off the military installation,” and job (e.g. Defense Attaché Service and Security Cooperation Office, etc).  Short tours are typically, “Remote and arduous locations with limited family support facilities or with economic conditions not supporting a quality of life reasonably comparable to U.S. standards,” or, “Locations lacking adequate family support facilities or with potential threat to the safety or security of families.” https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/131518p.pdf

You can also see the specific factors they consider at the end of that DoD Instruction (population, geography, climate, housing, medical, groceries, banking, etc).

As discovered by Ram, short tour credit is based on the above conditions, not on whether your family is with you or not.  Some locations will still allow families.  Any location with an unaccompanied tour of 15 months or less on the following list is considered a short tour location: https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/Docs/perdiem/browse/Travel_Regulations/Appendices/appQ.pdf

Everything else and all AF specific stuff is in the posts SurelySerious linked you to.